1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to deicing systems, and, more particularly, to a roof and gutter deicing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ice dams forming near the outer edges, or "eaves," of a roof and extending into the gutters are a significant source of damage to a building. Ice dams form when snow on an inner or middle section of a roof melts and the meltwater flows down to the outer section of the roof, where it then refreezes into ice. The heat from within the building conducts through the roof to melt the snow on the middle portion of the roof. However, the outer edge of the roof extends outwardly beyond the outside wall of the building, and therefore is not heated by the heat from within the building. Thus, the melted snow from the middle portion of the roof refreezes and accumulates on the outer edge portion of the roof and in the gutters, thereby forming ice dams. Another possible cause of ice dams is the heating of the dark shingles when exposed to sunlight. Snow on the roof slides down to the gutter, where it abuts the gutter, thaws and refreezes. The freezing of the meltwater eventually builds up into an ice dam.
Such ice dams are known to cause leaks in roofs by allowing water to enter underneath the shingles of the roof and expand upon refreezing, thereby forcing the shingle away from the other shingles on the roof. The weight of ice dams can also tear a gutter away from the roof and/or soffit, thereby requiring costly repairs.
It is known to attach a heater wire to the outside surface of the outer edge portion of the roof. The heater wire may also extend along the gutter and through the downspout in order to maintain an open drainage path for melting of the frozen precipitation.
A problem is that the zig zagging pattern of the heater wires on the surface of the roof is not aesthetically pleasing and tends to take away from the visual appeal of the building.
What is needed in the art is an apparatus for melting snow on the outer edge of a roof that is not visually detectable from the outside of the building.